


Pep Talk

by Healy



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Community: fandom_stocking, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Ficlet, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-16
Updated: 2017-01-16
Packaged: 2018-09-17 12:20:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 402
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9323315
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Healy/pseuds/Healy
Summary: Stan tries to cheer up a young Soos after he gets a bad grade.





	

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HippieGeekGirl](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HippieGeekGirl/gifts).



“Hey, Soos!” yelled Stan. “Get over here! There’s a toilet overflow in the men’s restroom, and I don’t feel like fixing it myself.”

Soos turned away from the shelf he was looking at and trudged slowly towards the restrooms. Five feet away he stopped and flopped facedown on the floor. “Mr. Pines, I don’t wanna do it,” he pleaded.

Any other day, Stan would have yelled at him to quit slacking, get up and get back to work. But Soos had been moping the whole day, which was weird behavior from someone who usually acted like he just won the lottery. “What’s wrong?” asked Stan. “I’m not giving you any sick pay, y’know.”

Soos sniffled. “My report card came in today. I got a ‘D’ in Math again.”

“Oh,” said Stan. “Is that all? That seems kinda…”

“I _always_ get a ‘D’ in Math!” cried Soos. He sat up. “I worked really hard this semester, got a tutor and everything, and I still got a ‘D’.”

Stan sighed. “Oh, geez.” He took two cans of soda out of the cooler and handed one to Soos. “Y’know, Soos, bad grades aren’t the end of the world.”

“But Mr. Pines, what if I never get better at this stuff? What if I get a ‘D’ for the rest of my life?” Soos stared at his soda. “What if I’m just an idiot?”

“Well, I mean,” said Stan, opening his can of soda, “there’s more to life than being smart. Look at me, for instance. I’m not the brightest bulb in the pack, but I got pretty far. I guess.” He took a sip of his soda. “And anyway, you got a lot more going for you than I do.”

“Like what?” asked Soos.

Stan ran his thumb down the rim of his soda can, turning his thoughts over in his head, trying to put them into words. “You’re a good kid,” he said at last. “You’re always so nice, y’know? And people appreciate that. It makes them wanna trust you.”

“Huh,” said Soos. “You really think that, Mr. Pines?”

“Would I lie?” said Stan. “To you, I mean?”

Soos broke out into a huge grin. “Wow! Thanks, dude!”

“No problem,” said Stan. “Now go fix those toilets! I’m not paying you to sit around all day.”

“Sure thing!” said Soos. He picked up his toolbox and entered the restroom, ready to get to work.


End file.
